Académie Notre Europe #4 – A Green and Sustainable Europe

The fourth session of the Notre Europe Academy will focus on the European Union’s ecological and energy transition. We will revisit the European Green Deal and explore how the engagement of young people and civil society can lead to concrete progress. The session will then examine the measures adopted by the EU to drive its ecological and energy transition, as well as the concerns about potential challenges to this action. Finally, the session will offer a broader perspective on global warming, addressing issues of global governance and the alignment of EU action with international dynamics, notably those driven by the United States and China.

This session is dedicated to the climate challenge, considered today as one of the major issues of the 21st century, and to the variety of responses at the citizen, European, and international levels.

The morning will begin with an introductory discussion focused on climate as a central issue of our time, and on defending it in a context marked by the rise of climate skepticism in political debates. This workshop will provide an opportunity to analyze the drivers of such discourses, their impact on public action and opinion, and the possible levers to reaffirm the role of science, the public interest, and climate urgency in contemporary political choices.

It will continue with Phuc-Vinh Nguyen, Head of the Energy Centre at the Jacques Delors Institute, who will provide insight into European policies for ecological and energy transition, analyzing the objectives, tools, and challenges facing the European Union’s action in response to the climate emergency.

After a break, Corinne Le Quéré, climatologist, Professor of Climate Change Science, and former Chair of the French High Council on Climate, will offer a scientific and international perspective on global climate action, comparing current knowledge, state commitments, and the scale of transformations still needed.

The afternoon will be dedicated to a Citizens’ Convention on Climate – Youth, led by Alice Moscovici, researcher at the Jacques Delors Institute and specialist in European industrial and energy policies. This participatory workshop will invite participants to engage in citizen deliberation, collectively reflecting on the levers of climate action and the political choices it entails.

The session will conclude with a synthesis and closing discussion, allowing participants to review the main lessons of the day and open perspectives for engagement and action.